Polish rod clamp



May 20, 1941. J. w. EDWARDS POLISH ROD CLAMP Filed May 1, 1940 8 INVENTOR. 1 703 M ED WARDS' $362M ATTORNEY.

Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES AT 2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a polish rod clamp to be used inv the oil field in connection with deep well pumps, and has for its principal object a mechanical means to actuate the jaws of the clamp with sufiicient power to retain the polish rod pendantlycarried at the upper end of the pump casing, and bein seated thereon to make repairs in and about the oil well rig wherein the polish rod is involved.

' A further object of my invention is to provide. a clamp compact, manually applied by a single operator, and efficient in its performance.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a clamp being complete within itself, and operative without the use of other tools to engage or disengage the clamp.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a polish rod clamp having elongated jaws to increase the area of contact whereby mutilation of the rod at the maximum grip of the clamp is avoided.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a polish rod clamp, the bearing sides of which are similar so that the clamp may be reversed to the convenience of an operator, whereby either side of the clamp will seat uniformly on the upper end of a stuffing box commonly employed in connection with a deep well pump casmg.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in the clamp a pair of jaws having an automatic opening means therefor when the arms of the clamp have been released, whereby access to the jaws is without obstruction when entering the polish rod therebetween.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters will apply to like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the clamp.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, the polish rod being in section, and parts of the clamp removed for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a view looking toward the free end of the levers.

Fig. 4. is an elevation of a stufiing box with the clamp seated thereon.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the jaws and lever cam, otherwise taken on line 66 in Fig. 1.

III

My invention herein disclosed consists of a clamp comprising a body portion l, the contour of which is substantially concavo-convcx, there being a portion removed from each side of the body portion whereby a tongue A is formed. Being so arranged will provide a flange B extending from each side and adapted to. receive a plate 2 secured to each flange by screws 3 threadedly engaging in the flange, the contour of the plates being concavo-convex with respect to their edges while the terminal ends thereof are arcuate, the plates as pin retaining means for the pivot connections of a pair of jaws 4 and pivot connections of levers 5 and. 6, respectively.

Each jaw has a pair ofears 1 to straddle an extension 8 integral with the tongue at the concavity side thereof and to which the ears 1 are rockab-ly connected by a pin 9, each jaw memher having a concavity C confronting each other and in which a polish rod Illv will seat when the jaws are moved toward each other, the outer side of each jaw being arced inward to be engaged by a cam D of its respective lever to close the jaws when the free ends ofsaid levers are moved inward toward each other.

Each of said levers has a pair of cars H to straddle its respective terminal end of the tongue at which point each lever is rockably connected by its respective pin I2, the ears being eccentri- 1 cally pivoted whereby said cams are formed on the levers. The outer end of lever 5 has a pair of ears E integrally joined and axially drilled to receive a pin |3 extending therethrough, the ends of the pin being peened to secure the same against removal, said pin to engage through the head M of an eye bolt l5, by which means, said bolt is rockable as shown by dotted line F in Fig. 2, said bolt bein threaded and adapted to engage between the legs G of the bifurcated lever 6, at which point a U-shaped washer I6 is secured to the outer face of the bifurcation, the outer face of the washer being convex and adapted to engage in the concavity of a washer ll that is compressed by a wing nut l8 threadedly engaging on the bolt, by which means the said washers will permit rocking movement of the lever without binding when the wing nut is tensioned snugly thereon, the bolt and wing nut engagement being means to clamp the levers toward each other which in turn acts upon the jaws through the medium of their respective cam elements, above described.

At the time of applying the clamp to a polish rod the said bolt I5 is rocked outward on its respective lever 5 suflicient to enter the polish rod, and the said levers rocked outward from each other will permit opening of the jaws through the medium of a compression spring l9, each end of which is secured to its respective jaw. Being so arranged the jaws will receive the polish rod without obstruction, after which the said bolt is rocked to engagement with the bifurcation of its respective lever 6, at which instant the wing nut is tightened to a required tension to grip the polish rod securely against longitudinal movement, it being understood that at the time of applying the clamp the polish rod may be pendantly carried by the mule head of a pump jack, the latter not being shown in the drawing.

The clamp herein disclosed may be applied as pendant supporting means for a steel cable should the same become mutilated and repairs needed which commonly occurs in oil well maneuvers, and other purposes where rods, pipes, or the like are being worked upon, and while the structure of the clamp with respect to its various parts are specific, I do not wish to be restricted to such alone as the structure may be varied as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a polish rod clamp, a body portion substantially concave-convex and comprised of a tongue and a flange extending from each side of the tongue and being aligned with the convex side of the body and integrally joined, and an extension intermediate of the ends of the tongue and being on the concavity side thereof, a pair of jaws, each of which has a pair of ears to straddle the extension, and each being pivotedly connected in close proximity and outwardly extending from the outer extremity of said extension, the free end of the jaws adapted to rock toward and from each other, the extending portion of the jaws each having a concavity to confront each other and adapted to engage a polish rod of an oil well pump, a pair of levers, one end of each being arcuate, the arcuate ends of the levers being pivotedly connected to the tongue and in working relation to the jaws and oppositely disposed thereto, the pivot connection of each lever being eccentric whereby a cam is formed to act upon its respective jaw member, the free end of one lever being bifurcated and the free end of the other lever having one end of a bolt rockably connected thereto, the free end of the bolt adapted to rock into and from the bifurcated end of the other lever, the bolt threadedly engaging a wing nut as clamping means for the levers toward each other which in turn will clamp the jaws together for the purpose specified.

2. In a polish rod clamp, a body portion substantially concavo-convex and comprised of a tongue and a flange extending from each side of the tongue and being aligned with the convex side of the body and integrally joined, and an extension intermediate of the ends of the tongue and being on the concavity side thereof, a pair of jaws, each of which has a pair of cars to straddlerthe extension, and each being pivotedly connected by smooth removable pins, the connection being in close proximity and each jaw outwardly extending from the outer extremity of said extension, the free ends of the jaws adapted to rock toward and from each other, a spring to open the jaws, the extending portion of the jaws each having a concavity to confront each other and adapted to engage a polish rod of an oil well pump, a pair of levers, one end of each being arcuate, the arcuate ends of the levers being pivotedly connected to the tongue and in working relation to the jaws and oppositely disposed thereto, the pivot connection of each lever being secured by a smooth removable pin eccentrically whereby a cam is formed to act upon their respective jaw members, a plate for each side of the clamp to enclose its respective ends of the pivot pins as retaining means therefor against removal and each plate being secured to its respective flange of the clamp, the free end of one lever being bifurcated andthe free end of the other lever having one end of a bolt rockably connected thereto, the free end of the bolt adapted to rock into and from the bifurcated end of the other lever, the bolt threadedly engaging a Wing nut, and a U-washer secured to the bifurcated end of the lever to conform therewith, the outer side of the washer being convex, and a washer having a concave side to seat on the first said washer and being between said washer and the wing nut whereby the said washers will adjust to alignment with an angular position of the wing nut for equal distribution of the load between the said washers, the bolt and wing nut as means to clamp the levers to engagement with the jaws for the purpose specified.

JOHN W. EDWARDS. 

